


A Simple Gesture

by michals



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-10
Updated: 2011-07-10
Packaged: 2017-10-21 05:55:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/221686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/michals/pseuds/michals
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For this prompt at the kink meme:<br/><i>It’s early in the morning wherever the team has gathered, and Arthur’s sleepy. (Awwww.) So when Cobb asks him a questions/walks near him/falls into his line of sight, Arthur does something sweetly, unknowingly affectionate, too tired to remember that they’ve been hiding their relationship from the team. The team’s reactions are up to you, anons!</i></p>
    </blockquote>





	A Simple Gesture

**Author's Note:**

> For this prompt at the kink meme:  
>  _It’s early in the morning wherever the team has gathered, and Arthur’s sleepy. (Awwww.) So when Cobb asks him a questions/walks near him/falls into his line of sight, Arthur does something sweetly, unknowingly affectionate, too tired to remember that they’ve been hiding their relationship from the team. The team’s reactions are up to you, anons!_

This is not fair, is all Arthur can think as he struggles with tying the knot in his tie. It is not fair that he had to be Yusuf's guinea pig for his latest knock-out drug and it is not fair that, after said drug, he is being asked to function not eight hours later. He stares bleary eyed at his reflection in the mirror and gives up on the tie completely, ripping it off and throwing it over his shoulder.

He stumbles out of the bathroom and into the hotel room proper, where Ariadne is sitting cross legged on the bed and Eames has pulled up one of the arm chairs and is taking up as much room as possible. Ariadne raises her eyebrows over her cup of coffee at Arthur's less-than-put-together appearance but says nothing. Eames is not as tactful.

"Yusuf's new concoction did a number on you, didn't it, precious?" He's grinning from ear to ear in a way that even his back teeth are visible. Arthur wonders how hard he'd have to punch him to break even those.

But even swinging his arm at Eames is too much to ask for, so he settles for a well-worn glare, which only earns him a bark of laughter. Arthur turns to the files spread out carefully on the adjacent bed and starts organizing them. If Dom hadn't been the one to call this meeting, he would've probably have said "fuck it", got some earplugs from the front desk and locked his door.

It's Dom who knocks on the door then, Ariadne bounces up to answer it, giving Arthur a discreet pat on the back as she passes. Dom comes in looking more awake than Arthur could ever ask to be right now, with Yusuf on his heels. Yusuf mumbles something and crosses to the coffee maker Ariadne set up on the desk.

"Morning everyone." Dom says, hanging his coat up in the open closet - even half awake Arthur feels proud that he has at least taught him something in their years knowing each other. Dom turns and get a look at Arthur then, and Arthur is trying, really he is, to look attentive and alive but from the expression on Dom's face he is apparently failing at it pretty badly.

"Arthur? You doing alright?" Dom asks, talking softly and looking sympathetic. Arthur feels better just looking at him, but before he can say anything Eames, of course, has to pipe up.

"He's fine! Akin to a night of heavy drinking, nothing more, right Yusuf?"

Yusuf stops sucking down coffee for long enough to shrug uncertainly. Ariadne is attempting to scowl at Eames, "And you'd be fine working after a night of getting drunk?"

"I work best when I do, actually!" Eames laughs and tips the chair on two legs. Dom walks to the coffee maker as Eames is speaking and knocks the chair with a firm hand. Eames flails a little before thunking back down on all four legs and offering up a glare to Dom's back.

Dom looks up from adding more coffee grounds long enough to exchange a sly smile with Arthur.

God, leave it to Dom to make him feel exhilarated and lightheaded, just from a smile. It's enough to knock him awake a little, enough to start this damn meeting so that maybe it'll be finished all that much sooner.

"Alright so, Mr. Carney almost always stays late and from our observations he's usually to his car by 6:45 PM. It's then at we'll...uhm, we'll intercept..." Arthur tries to stifle a yawn and can't. He groans and rubs at his eyes. He can hear Eames laughing again and Ariadne's "Oh, Arthur..." but another wave of exhaustion hits him and he can't even stay standing. He drops onto the bed, crumpling at least one spreadsheet under him.

"Hey," he hears Dom's gentle voice above him and when he opens his eyes there's a Styrofoam cup in front of his face. The smell of the coffee is practically wafting to him like in a Bugs Bunny cartoon and he can't hold back a sigh at how glorious it is. Arthur looks up into Dom's warm eyes and feels stupidly in love with the man in that moment. He reaches up for the cup, muttering a thank you as their hands brush together.

Arthur will later blame it on his complete exhaustion. That, or being blinded by ridiculously gorgeous blue eyes, but either way - Arthur brings both hands up to the cup, fixing one hand over Dom's and moving the cup with the other. The hand still on Dom's tangles their fingers together and brings Dom's to his lips, where he places a small, grateful kiss to the knuckles.

It's the sound of Yusuf practically drowning in his coffee that snaps him out of it. He doesn't even have time to drop Dom's hand before he hears the snickering from Eames. He can feel the tips of his ears burning and he can't bring himself to look anywhere but straight ahead, completely embarrassed.

They had agreed that they'd keep it secret for a while, him and Dom. It was still too soon after the inception job, the relationship still too new to share, especially with their coworkers. They even slept in different rooms.

And now that was all for nothing, one little gesture and their cover's blown.

"Can't say I didn't see this one coming." Eames says, and Arthur has to finally look up at Dom, and Dom's not looking at him, or anyone for that matter. Arthur feels a weight drop into his stomach.

He's very, very awake now; at least he can say that.

"How much did I have on this one, hey?" Eames asks Yusuf.

"Dammit you guys, you could not have waited another month?" Yusuf finally speaks, digging in his pocket for a crumpled bill and tossing it at Eames.

Ariadne's sitting on the edge of the bed now, trying not to seem too eager, saying, "You two? I mean, I guess I saw the signs but I never would've known if you hadn't...This is so great, this is perfect now..."

Arthur closes his eyes against the barrage of noise, he just wants them all to shut up, shut up, so he can beg Dom for forgiveness.

It's actually Dom who stops them all.

"Alright, I think that's enough for now." He says, turning on the group and to Arthur's surprise he doesn't look upset at all. In fact, there's a smile on his face if also a very faint blush on his cheeks. "I think we'll reconvene later, say about 1 o'clock, this room, okay?"

"Oh, and what are we doing until then?" Eames asks, still looking far too amused for his own good.

It's Dom's salacious grin that wipes the smirk from his face. "I don't know about you, but Arthur and I," Dom says, snagging Arthur by his collar, "Are going to get some sleep." He hauls Arthur up and turns that grin on Arthur, and the weight in Arthur's gut turns to a hot burn of arousal.

Dom practically drags Arthur from the room, Arthur tripping on his own feet to keep up. Dom gets to the door and opens it, but turns back to the room long enough to say, "And any more experimental drugs will be tested on Mr. Eames and Mr. Eames alone."

They don't even stick around to see Eames's indignant expression. Dom's still pulling him down the hall, straight to his room. They get inside the door and Dom throws Arthur up against it.

"I really hated keeping that secret." He hisses as he presses himself up against Arthur. Arthur has just enough awareness to grab onto Dom's hips and hold on.

"Now, do you really want to get some sleep?" Dom asks between pressing biting kisses to Arthur's neck, "Or is there another way we can wake you up?"

Arthur goes with Option B, naturally.


End file.
